3 boaters die; 4th survives

[ragamuffin]

I am sadly posting this as a reminder that we all need to stay safe at sea. I did not know the crew but I did know the boat as I often saw it in Monroe Harbor while the tender took me out to my mooring. I work next to Monroe harbor and today it was hard to look out and see the boats knowing one and boat and most of it's crew will not be back. Consider this my Memorial to the Crew and family. Here is the sad story.

http://www.oceangrafix.com/o.g/Chart...e-Calumet.html

Above is a link to the chart of the area (click on the chart) if you look at the upper (north) part of the chart and zoom in you will see how big the break wall is around calumet harbor and how small the side entrance is. There is a main entrance at the top of the dog leg but I suspect they where heading into the side entrance. I keep my boat at Crowleys and the break wall is nasty big jagged rocks. Most enter the harbor then drop sails. They may have been dousing sails outside the entrance when the MOB occurred and the tragedy happened. It was a J35 Mac proven racer experienced crew with PFD's not sure if they had Jack lines or not? It's really sad they where home once in the harbor the river entrance is 1/4 mile and Crowley's yard is about a mile in.

Usually the only thing you need to worry about in the harbor and river are very large barges and making sure the bridge operator raises the bridges for you.

IMHO I would have never attempted to move my boat knowing I would be be coming close to a lee shore. All week we have had force 7 or 8 winds and 6 - 10 foot seas about 5 seconds apart. My heart goes out to all friends and family of Captain Finn, his crew and SV Jason.

 

[bigtyme805]

I grew up in that area and fished, water skied, sailed, pretty much my whole life. Michigan City, Indiana my house 10ft from the water. I can tell you with conditions as they describe it was a death sentence. They just tried to save their friend. With the breakwater and pier and most importantly the breaking waves crashing it was a miracle someone survived.

I now reside on the West Coast and sail 3x per week all year round. In 15 years of sailing here I can never ever remember it being like Lake Michigan conditions. When that wind kicks up to 20-25k out of the North you better hope you are out in some depths on Lake Michigan.

This is probably disturbing to a lot of people but growing up their I personally discovered 6 bodies that had drown from the seas kicking up. They had washed ashore and with our house so close to the beach I would always see them. The bodies would always be 3-4 times their size.

People who don't know about the great lakes take warning, it is dangerous waters.

 

[sleather]

Often "less than" Great Lakes!

"When the gales of November come early"
from The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

SAD

I for one have "stretched the limits" too many times!
I'm not sure I want to hear the survivors story.

Today's NOAA buoy#45007 report, 11AM,
winds NNW(330*) @23K, Gusts to 27K
seas, 6 ft. @ 6 sec.
water temp, 57*F

 

[Seth]

One big mistake

None of us were there, so we can only speculate. As part of the Chicago racing scene, I knew John Finn and Jason-certainly not ones to considered inexperienced or foolish.

There was another boat nearby cominig down from Chicago at about the same time. From what I hear, they were both running down the coast under headsails only (not that this part is relevant). The other boat did the VERY wise thing, and entered the breakwater before attempting to lower sails, and had the safety and advantage of doing so in much flatter water.

This is something I see frequently returning from racing here in town on a breezy day: People lowering sails while outside the breakwater-in a place where the water is very confused (waves, backwash, motorboat wakes, etc.), and this is dangerous!

I always coach people to get inside the breakwater first, then stow the sails in the inside lee (if possible) of the wall.

Another trick: If you are going to to lower anything outside, or if you have the sea room inside, turn DOWNWIND to lower headsails! Out of some old habit folks usually go head to wind to drop the headsail-and the boat is pitching, waves are crashing over the bow, the the sail is flapping all over the place..
Why not turn onto a VERY broad reach, leaving the sail trimmed in as if close reaching, then lower the headsail? It will come down in the calm behind the mainsail, the boat will be steady as it drives along on a deep reach, and thus the foredeck is easier and safer to work on. Becasue the sheets are not fully eased, it won't go over the side as you lower it. Then get inside the wall to lower to lower and stow the main.

I don't know how the Jason attempted to lower the jib, but had they waited to turn the corner inside the breakwater this may have turned out quite differently.

Let's all keep a good thought for the families of those lost, and be careful!

S

 

[sleather]

Amen

Seth, AMEN, nothing else to add!
I hope everyone reads that!

 

[jmcpeak]

I did not know the sailors who perished, but my heart goes out to their family and friends. If any solace can be taken, these men died trying to save another man's life.

We, as a sailing community, should always strive to take something positive away from a tragedy such as this.

My hope is, many more lives will be saved then were lost that night -

We should read and talk about what happened.

No matter what your skill level, things can and will go wrong. Wear that PFD's, snap that jack line on, take those safety classes, learn all you can and constantly improve your skills.

Peace.

 

[gareth harris]

This is probably disturbing to a lot of people but growing up their I personally discovered 6 bodies that had drown from the seas kicking up.

People who don't know about the great lakes take warning, it is dangerous waters.

Strwth!

Somebody once told me the Great Lakes were the most dangerous waters in the US, and some of the most dangerous regularly used waters in the world; due to the combination of local weather patterns, and shallow water leading to much shorter and steeper swells than are typical on the ocean. Your observation would seem to back that up.

Since the next time I sail my boat will be on Lake Ontario, this story has moved installing jack lines onto the essential list before getting underway.

Thanks for posting the story and the various comments, such tragedies can always have a certain benefit if the rest of us discuss them and try to draw the lessons.

Gareth
Freyja E35 #241 1972

 

[sleather]

Proper Planning!

I only bring this up in the spirit of Proper Seamanship!
The week of the incident had been plagued by nasty weather as "ragamuffin" mentioned.
In the "report" it was mentioned that someone observed the boat @ 6:45PM(not leaving) and the "mayday" went out @ 8:15PM.
At that time of day? it's DARK! Any rescue efforts(by the crew or the CG) were therefore severely hindered by the lack of daylight!

We are ALL encumbered by schedules, but given the "extremes" of weather, the relocation of the boat should have began by mid-day, @ the latest, to allow for any contingencies. A mad dash, after work(if that's the case), is usually inviting trouble!

One should not "choose" to be out in adverse conditions after dark! No-matter what the experience level.

My thoughts are with them, and with the survivors.

 

[u079721]

Somebody once told me the Great Lakes were the most dangerous waters in the US, and some of the most dangerous regularly used waters in the world; due to the combination of local weather patterns, and shallow water leading to much shorter and steeper swells than are typical on the ocean.

Not exactly weather related, but a few years back the Cruising Club of America held a rally in the North Channel of Lake Huron one August while we were there on our annual cruise. A few members had brought their own boats, but quite a few others had chartered from outfitters in Little Current and Gore Bay on Manitoulin Island in Ontario.

These members may have been great ocean cruisers, used to dealing with tides and currents, but the rock strewn waters of northern Lake Huron were too much for several of them. By the end of their trip two charter boats had been damaged by encounters with local (charted!) rocks and had to be hauled for service, and a third boat actually sank.

Since these members had to be able to read a chart as well as any other Great Lakes sailor, all we could surmise was that they just didn't take the lake that seriously.